Different exercises deliver different results for various systems in your body — weightlifting for muscle tone, cardio for weight loss, and so on. But what exercise should you look to if you want to improve your mental health?
Researchers recently looked at the link between physical activities and mental health to determine the answer to this question.
Team sports were found to have the greatest mental health benefit, followed by cycling, either on the road or a stationary bike.
The findings were published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry this month.
The study was among the first of its kind. Participants were asked to respond to a survey asking how many days in the previous month their mental health was “not good” due to stress, depression or other problems.
Researchers found that physical activated performed in groups, including team sports and gym classes, provided more of a boost in mental health than those of solo sports including running or walking.
People who played team sports like basketball or soccer reported 22.3% fewer poor mental health days than those who didn’t exercise at all. Runners reported 19% fewer days, and those who complete chores as exercise reported 11.8% fewer days.
Yogi and tai chi — activities that are solo yet most often performed in groups — were part of a secondary analysis in a category called recreational sports and had a 22.9% reduction in poor mental health days. This sub-category included other sports like golf as well.
Adam Chekroud, the study’s lead author and chief scientist and co-founder of Spring Health, a NYC-based mental-health startup, and assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale University, said that the social component of team sports gives them the extra benefit when it comes to mental health, while tai chi and yoga actively promote mindfulness.
Researchers found that 30 to 60 minutes of exercise over three to five days is the best range to improve mental health, with 45 minutes being the optimal duration.
Interestingly, more exercise didn’t take additional poor mental health away.
(h/t WSJ)
Also see, 9 smoothie recipes to get you started on a healthy morning.
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